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Hello !

I'm doing a film using Ulead Video Studio 11.0. (I'm French, so I'm not sure you will understand my english very well...) But since a few months, I have problems with the audio. I think it began just after I change my computer. When I insert video clips in the time line, and after having cut them, the audio gets out of sync. It's very strange because sometimes, if I read the clip only, the audio is perfect, but when I read the whole project, the audio is wrong. Sometimes, the audio is moved less than a second back, though in some clips it's moved more than a few seconds back. I've tried spliting the audio but it has not change anything. Even if I create a video file from the project, the audio problems persit. The format of the video clips I use is .AVI (they come from a camera, which is a Samsung Digimax S600), here you are their properties :
Video compression : MJPEG Compressor
Attributes : 24 Bits, 640*480
Audio compression : CCITT u-Law
Attributes : 22,050 kHz, 8 bits, Mono

and the project lasts now 48 minutes.
Project's properties : VSP file / Size : 2.11 Mo

About my system : I have a Dell Computer
Operating System : Windows Vista Familiale Edition Premium
Processor : Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU 2.00 GHz
Memory/RAM : 3.00 Go
Video Card : NVIDIA GeForce 8600 M GT
Sound Card : SigmaTel High Definition Audio CODEC (I'm not sure that this is the sound card)

So, could you help me ? I would be really thankful to you !
God bless you !

Anne-Sophie

Some file formats can be "difficult" to edit... Try this:

Load your AVI/MJEPG file(s) into Video Studio. Go to the Share tab and save as AVI/DV. (Video Studio may call it DV-AVI, or something... I can't remember exactly.) Then, open the DV version and edit that file.

If the files can be converted to DV without loosing sync, you should be able to edit the DV files without any trouble. (DV is 13GB per hour, so these files will be bigger.)

If you want your final video in MJPEG (or another format), you can again select your format from the Share tab (after editing).

I think it began just after I change my computer.

It's usually not the computer... Most problems have something to do with the particular video file or the particular file-format....

The MJPEG format normally shouldn't cause problems in itself -- the difficulty usually is being sure you have the codec on the computer. That should be installed from the installation disc which should have come with the camera. MJPEG (motion JPEG) is an older codec, but a good quality one, and was in fact the major predecessor of DV/AVI.

What intrigues me more is the audio format that is used. As far as I am aware, CCITT u-law is, or was, used primarily as a cell phone format. So while I agree with DVDDoug that converting everything to another more editable format will probably work, my own first instinct would probably be to create a new .wav audio file and use that. Unfortunately, that would probably be tedious if your project is 48 minutes long as you would need to do that with every clip.

So I would try DVDDoug's method first. Then, if that does not work, to create a new .wav file, highlight a clip in the timeline, then select Share > Create Audio File. Then save it in .wav format. Then you have to mute the audio in the clip and insert the new audio in one of the two audio channels below that clip. And do the same with all the other clips.

I guess I should also say that the ability of digital still cameras to take video does not really make them video cameras. At best, they are only meant to take very short clips which can be used to supplement video taken on a video camera. They were never conceived to be used for such a long project as yours. If you intend to make videos regularly, it would be much better if you invest in a proper video camera. Hélas...!

I have said it before and I will say it again.

If you want to make videos use a camcorder.
If you want to take photographs use a digital camera
If you want to make phone calls use a mobile phone.

Nowadays the manufacturers try to make their product more sell able than their competitors by throwing in things. Such as a Camcorder that also takes stills, a Digital Camera that also does videos and mobile phones that take photographs.

Whilst these added extras are great for emergency situations - almost everyone carries a mobile phone around that also takes pictures - they are not as good as the correct item of hardware for that particular task.

Thank you for all these pieces of advice !
I've tried DVDDoud's method, and it's seemed to work...
Yes, I know that a digital camera isn't really done to take videos but it's cheaper than a camcorder ! But even so I will think about buying a video camera...
However, what surprises me is that a friend of mine used Ulead Video Studio with films taken from my camera, and it worked perfectly. Moreover, I worked on my project without problems for months ! My audio problems have existed only for a few months.
In all cases, the most important is that I succeed in making my project with no audio problems...

God bless you !

Anne-Sophie